The Reason They're Mad
by ThatClutzsarahh
Summary: Mad Hatter. Mad March. The tale of how they came to be mad, and how Hatter has come to know a thing or two bout ‘liking’ people. Pre-Alice, Pre-Madnes
1. A Wild Card

The Reason They're Mad

Natalia was the infamous daughter of the infamous Joker. He was the wild card of the kingdom, determined only to bring Wonderland to its' knees. He was mad, a wild, insane, mad, unruly man. His wife? Unknown. His daughter? Only an infant when the Queen found her. She was just a child when she brought her to the casino, a wicked plot in her mind forming, the daughter of the Joker could only mean one thing. Chaos.

"Chaos Natalia Joker-Heart, you get back here this instant!" cried the Queen of Hearts after the haughty 18 year-old girl ran down the hall of the Hearts Suite deck of the casino. The girl had dressed herself in a high collared purple gown with a glittering ace on the back and front that day as she ran wildly down the hall, a wicked smile on her face.

"Clubs, what are you doing!" screeched the Queen as Natalia flew by them, "Catch her! Catch her!"

"Yes, catch me, catch me if you can!" she cried, knocking over a vase. Two men tripped and clamored to the ground. "Now look, clumsy Clubs on the ground!"

Her haughty laughter filled the hall as she swung around the corner and took a flying leap over the railing, missing the grasping hands by mere inches. With horror the clubs watched as she landed on the floor below with the grace of a cat, a grin stretched widely across her face as she bolted yet again down another hallway. The woman was quick; they'd give her that, but just were was she going?

The thing with the joker, was that he did things simply because he could. He wreaked havoc because he found it good sport, and thus his daughter would be no different. She ran wildly through the halls, her purple gown flowing out gracefully behind her, her laughter filling the air as she spun the corner, her bare feet sliding along the ground smoothly. She spun around the corner, her long hair flying out in a fan behind her as she spun, quickly darting off down the next corridor, heading straight for the door.

"Someone grab her!" shrieked the Queen, pointing her finger at the girl, "Can't anyone catch an eighteen-year-old child? Suits! Get her!"

Her laughter filled the halls again as she flew around yet another corner, her purple gown billowing out around her as she smoothly dodged the hands of a suit that grabbed for her. With a gleeful smile on her lips she headed straight for the doors.

"Catch me!" she hollered, "Catch me if you can!"

She spun around another corner, this time facing the suits with a taunting smile before stepping backwards and quite literally falling head over heels to the level below. Suit screeched the rail just in time to see her land gracefully on her feet and knock down yet another vase onto the heart-and-diamond tiled floor, sending the flowers and water sprawling, leaving those walking near to slip, which one did, falling down. The suits shook their heads and flew down the nearest flight of steps.

She had been like this since she was a child, causing chaos simply because she could. In her mind there was no rhyme or reason to her cyclone of destruction, and the Queen had come to decide that it was simply coded into her, like a program running its' course. The Queen of course, had plans for her when she had turned 12, deciding she was free to roam about the city. And oh boy did she! Natalia brought the city to its' knees, brought the knights to the ground with one sweep of her long raven hair! She was devastatingly beautiful and she did not know it, so when the Queen went out, she flaunted her to the world, flaunting her power and the casino. This was after all, the glory days of wonderland itself, with bright shining days and happy subjects, the Queen felt, that as long as Natalia remained with her, she would remain in favor.

But controlling the woman was a whole new issue. Natalia found every excuse to do something completely irrational, completely out of character, and completely strange. One day she would fancy a read in her room by herself, and when she was bothered, well lets' just say they replaced her broken wooden door with a steel one after the last vase came flying at a poor suit who was informing her for dinner. Other days she would do this, a wild chase throughout the casino, breaking everything and causing trouble for everyone. The reason for the chase today? She wanted to go through the looking glass; she wanted to see the world of the Oysters. God only knows why she wanted that.

The King knew why. You see, he was much smarter than the Queen when he was younger, and he could see it in her eyes. She was not a full wonderlander. She was a hybrid. Yes, it was clear her emotions ran deep much like an oysters. Once when she was very little he had chased her through the casino, only to have her foot get stuck on one place where the oysters stood, she kept moving but her feet did not. She ended up breaking her leg, a whole floor of pain flooding into the receptor beneath it. She was much more emotional than a normal oyster too, for that amount of pain bottled, she out milked a thousand oysters. He kept that emotion and did not tell the Queen, he kept it hidden in a cupboard in his sitting room. He'd never taken the emotion pain, and secretly he wondered what would happen if he did.

But now, she was heading for the doors, slowly, flight by flight or stairs, level by level of rooms until she reached the bottom. Sure she was only four floors from the top, but she was gaining space between the suits and her goal, the bottom. Her bare feet flew on the tiled ground as her laughter rang through the halls. She ran through the hall of mirrors, ducking behind one to confuse the suits just as they entered, only seeing themselves. She darted for the door they came through and laughed again, flying over the railing of yet another floor.

She skidded around another corner happily, her hair flying out behind her. She knocked down a pair of spades on her way through the hall, looking back at them and smiling, watching suit hurtle over them. She sang out happily at them.

"Run run as fast as you'll go, you'll never out run me though!"

She smiled to herself and spun down the next hallway, bursting through the door. She heard a loud crash behind her and she turned her head, looking back but her feet still moving forward and then-

_Wham!_

She lost her balance as she hit something, _hard._ The air that was in her lungs was now gone and her wild hair met with her head, losing her vision in a shade of dark hair. She expected to fall to the ground, but the smell of woodsy leather and the musk of warm emotion tea filled her senses as a pair of strong arms held her up. She gripped the soft leather in her hands as she regained her balance before releasing the person to brush back her hair.

He was a younger man, about two or three years older than herself. He wore a funny brown leather coat and a maroon shirt with argyle print and a crooked maroon tie that hung loose enough to allow the top buttons of his shirt to be open. He had a young, baby like face with puppy dog chocolate brown eyes that was rimmed lightly with what looked like eyeliner. She blinked, staring up at his unruly mass of hair, a bright red hat sitting crookedly on his head. He smiled, letting warm breath wash over her face.

"Sorry," she said, collecting herself and standing up. He let go in what appeared as a very reluctant manner.

"It's all right, are you okay?" he asked, his voice heavy with a British sound.

"I'm fine," she breathed, "Thank you for catching me."

She curtseyed at him, causing him to laugh, so she scowled.

"What?" she snapped "Is so funny?"

"I'm sorry," he muttered happily, "But it's been very long since I've ever seen a curtsey, its rather strange."

She blinked and opened her mouth, then shut it like a gaping fish, unable to form words. When he had finished his laugh he turned back to her.

"Listen, I'm sorry. Let's start over okay? I'm Hatter."

**

A/N: This is very pre-Alice. This is very pre-dark wonderland, but as the story goes on you'll see just how it became dark wonderland. This is about Hatter and March and the Queen and King and how they all came to be like that in which you saw in the movie. Don't worry the next chapter will be much better!

Review now! Reviewww ……..XD


	2. A Mad Plan

The Queen found March two years before she found Natalia. She had watched March's mother being eaten by a Jabberwock (a sight she wishes never to see again) and was about to let the two-year-old child be eaten, when she saw something in the boy. He had this spark in his eyes, this air about him that caught her eye that made her believe she could raise him for something that fit her plan far more than anything she could ever develop in a lab. She snatched up the child just as the boy reached his fists up, as if he were to fight the giant beast.

Although he was two years younger than Jack, he proved to be far more proficient than the Jack Heart boy in his learning, everything from schoolwork to combat fighting to musical talent to harvesting oysters, March (as she named him after the month she found him in) quickly won over the queen with his wit, charm, good looks and deceptively good ability to be completely cunning. So cunning in fact, he was able to do things right under her nose without leaving a trace. He would steal emotion tea from her private supply, take her ring when he wanted and even sneak out of the casino late at night so he could wander about the city by himself.

That was how he came to befriend Hatter. Of course he told the Queen that Hatter was a friend of one of the number 5 spade, which he later convinced to tell that story as well, and that he was a sweet boy whose family own the company that produced the scarabs. Of course, that too was a lie, for he was just a lowly tea boy, working his butt off in a teashop. He met Hatter at a backdoor club he had snuck into nearly two years ago, after his eighteenth birthday. Hatter and him hit it off perfectly then, like two brothers that never existed.

March was a tall elequant looking man at the age of twenty now, with a perfect crop of dark hair and a perfect nose, mysterious brown eyes and tan skin. His teeth were straight and pearly white, his skin tan and tight, taunt muscles and broad shoulders. He was, in all sense of the word, much more handsome than Jack Heart himself, who, at the age of twenty two, was barely more than 6' tall. March held himself highly, and while he was incredibly brilliant, he was at a lost for words when she came around. He would say something witty, she would shoot back with some wittier comment than he, and he would scowl, she would scowl and then they would laugh.

Growing up nearly together had been a little bit of a disadvantage for him, seeing as he fancied her quite a bit for a while, but coming down the stairs to see Hatters arms wrapped around the pretty girl in purple made his blood boil just a bit, just little bit.

"Hatter," March boomed, striding across the floor to meet him. Hatter dropped Natalia like she was on fire, and turned to March, slight color on his cheeks. Natalia smiled, a beautiful beaming smile before wrapping her arms around him and giving him a light kiss on the cheek. That was more like it. Hatter smiled sympathecally at him.

"March!" she cried happily, "I met your friend here," she said, "He's very nice, has he been over before?"

"Many times."

"Oh, then I haven't seen him."

"No."

She heard the shouts of the suits coming down the stairs and her eyes went wide.

"What have you done this time, Natalia?" asked March carefully, running his hands down her arms. Natalia simply smirked.

"Nothing that concerns you now," she said, bursting into a smile, "It's nice to meet you, Hatter, I hope to see you around here more often."

Hatter gave a lopsided smile and she nodded before bolting down the hallway, just as the suits made it round the last corner. They looked confused for a moment before March casually pointed in the opposite direction in which she had run too. The suits followed.

"Where to today, Hatter?" March asked casually, leading the way up to his suite.

"The deck, I think," Hatter replied, "Best views of the city eh March?"

"Indeed," he replied. There was a brief moment of awkward silence between them.

"Natalia is very pretty," Hatter commented, feeling he must say something about the girl he had caught from falling. March nodded thoughtfully.

"Trouble though," he warned, a glint in his eyes, "Lots of trouble, actually."

"I can tell," Hatter muttered following March into the elevator.

"But yes, she is very beautiful," March said, a blush on his cheeks. Hatter wouldn't have noticed except that he knew his friend very well. He nodded.

"We should have her join us," Hatter said, making conversation.

"We should," he agreed, "If she finds us again."

Which wasn't that hard for her to do, seeing as when the pair stepped from the lift Natalia had darted by them in a dash of purple chiffon, her laughter filling the hall, yet again. March watched as she darted down his hall.

"Natalia!" he called out to her. She froze.

"March," she said, turning around.

"Come join us on the deck, they won't find you there," he said, gesturing to her. She looked hesitant for a moment, but she looked at Hatter, her eyes meeting his for a moment before her body relaxed and she nodded. This display of emotion made Hatter's heart skip and remained unseen by March. But that was for the best. She smiled.

"All right then," March said, "Follow me."

Hatter was right. The deck overlooked the entire city. A small card table was set near the edge, and they sat down by it, Natalia smiling the whole while. Her eyes kept darting between March and Hatter as she smiled, staring out at the view. Hatter sipped quietly on his tea, as did March, before speaking.

"I think, Hatter, that we should go to 21C tonight."

21C was a new club that recently opened in wonderland. It was popular among the younger wonderlanders, mainly for the music and for the tea. They served the largest variety of emotion tea, the largest in the market. The hip wonderlanders crowded the place, and March had been a few times, as had Hatter, and they've both fancied it very much. It was located in an old building with a white porch. The only feature outside was a large red telephone booth and a scrolling marquee across the top of the porch, scrolling the name and the feature of tea for that night.

"Mhm," Hatter said, "Tonight's emotion is lust," he recalled, remembering he passed it earlier on his way to see March. March smirked wickedly.

"What do you think, Natalia?" he asked, "Would you be up for being my date tonight to a club?"

Natalia turned and looked at him, Hatter secretly hoped she would say no, but it wasn't likely, after all, Hatter and her had just met, and they barely had had a conversation with each other.

"A club?" she asked excitedly, "In Wonderland? In the City?"

March laughed loudly, the remniscents of his humor in his tea in his voice, "Yes, of course!"

Natalia smiled again, "Is Hatter coming too?"

That question made his heart skip. So she did care for him a bit, or she was being polite, but either way made him feel like she cared, just a little. He smiled to himself.

"Of course," March answered, a little bit hurt, "What do you say?"

"I would love to be your date!" she said, wrapping her arms around him. He returned the hug easily, and she kissed his cheek before pulling back, turning back to Hatter.

"Oh this will be so fun!" she said, the enthusiam in her much more than Hatter had ever seen in a wonderlander. It was like she had drunk a whole bottle of emotion tea for each emotion. It was strange, but he welcomed her glee, feeling the emotion radiated to hit him.

She nodded happily and raced from the balcony quickly, glancing over her shoulder at them, "I must go and get ready! Oh this is great, I've never been in the city before!"

Which was halfway true, she told herself. She had been in the city, but never on her own. She smiled as she dashed back to her room. She smiled, knowing how much fun it would be to explore the city, and how easy it would be to create chaos. She also thought bout how she would be able to drink emotion tea. She saw all the other wonderlanders drinking it, so why shouldn't she? She wanted to taste emotions too. She smiled again, and went to her closet. Tonight, she was going to raise hell.

Meanwhile, Hatter sat on the roof with March, discussing how they would sneak her out. But Hatter's mind was far from that. Hatter was trying to figure out how to make her all his own for that night, how to get her alone so he could get to know the chaotic girl for his own.

March was trying to figure out the same thing.

***

A/N Filler chapter i know, but the next one i garentee will be good. Natalia will get herself in trouble, Hatter will get in over his head, and MArch will think up a plan to make Natalia his. This next chapter is the chapter in which everything either starts getting together or it falls apart. But for now, review this one?

Please?

XD


	3. Madness to Ensue

**Madness to Ensue:**

March was a smart guy. He knew his chances with Natalia better than he knew the looking glass itself, and he could see in Hatter's eyes that he was gunning for her as well. But March knew the odds. Hatter was an average looking fellow with a strange personality and odd sense of style. He had a smile that every girl fell for though, that and his puppy dog eyed glances. But March, he was a good-looking guy with a classy taste in clothes and fashion. He was a classy man with wide broad shoulders and pearly white teeth. Hatter was the son of a teashop owner, and March was the Queens favorite. Any girl would pick March over Hatter.

But we aren't talking about any girl. This is the joker's daughter, Natalia. She was a wild card in the kingdom, and she lived up to her name. March didn't know what she looked for or what she wanted in a man, and he was determined to find out. Carefully, oh so carefully he slipped a bottle of honesty into her drink for dinner that night, as she had planned to dine in her room. For the rest of the night, she could tell nothing but the truth and that meant learning her inner most secrets. March could hardly wait as he dressed himself in the mirror, gladly waiting the arrival of Hatter that night for their activities.

Hatter on the other hand, was doing his honest to god best to be honest with himself. He tried one a thousand different outfits, trying every look he could imagine-from dressing like Jack Heart, to dressing like March, he tried every outfit in his closet, seeing what looked good. They all did, but none of them were really him. Hatter slumped back into his room, trying desperately to find himself an outfit. How was he supposed to impress a girl he knew nothing about? Secondly, did he even find her attractive? Was it the tea that morning that he found her beautiful, or the fact that she came barreling into him? He decided that it didn't matter what he wore. He was Hatter to Pete's sake, and he was his own person.

As darkness spread throughout the city, Natalia watched from her window. Her hair had been braided back in a loose braid down her bareback and tied with a yellow ribbon. She wore a backless gold dress that glittered and shimmered in the mellowest of light with tall black heels. Her hands were folded behind her back as she stared out the 'v' shaped window of her room at the lights of the city. She would finally be allowed out by herself tonight, for the first time in her life, and she planned to use every single moment of that time to do something. Her heart beat excitedly at the very thought of being able to explore, and she smiled to herself. She stood, waiting for the knock on her door by March. Secretly she hoped Hatter had already arrived.

Of course March looked better than Hatter. Hatter awed at his friends clothes as he descended the stairs, taking in his highly polished black shoes and pressed pinstriped pants, his black suspenders and white button shirt, cleanly pressed and folds hitting his body at the right angles to highlight him perfectly. Hatter himself stood shocked at his cleanness, like he'd never seen him before, and for the first time in his life he wondered what he looked like standing next to someone who looked so, expensive. Hatter unconsciously soothed his bright red shirt with glittering black spades on it (a gift from March, obviously) before throwing him a lopsided smile. March nodded and smirked.

"Don't you look dashing," he said simply. Hatter nodded.

"You clean up nice yourself. And Natalia?" he said, trying to restrain the eagerness in his voice. March hadn't noticed it, so it went undetected.

"She's-"

"Right here," came Natalia, standing behind the men. Both spun quickly on their heels and eye her down, in a short glittering gold dress and bright white tights. Hatter's mouth dropped while March fantasized quickly about her legs underneath. She placed both her hands on her hips and stared at them. Both of them quickly regained their composure, unfamiliar with the feeling of even losing it at all.

"You look nice," Hatter commented lamely. Natalia smiled at him.

"She looks beautiful," whispered March, smiling at her, "Shell we go then, date?"

He held his arm out for her and she took it, leaving a bubbling jealous Hatter to be the third wheel-for now. March smiled as she took his arm, her light fingers gripping his sleeve. He couldn't tell by her smile if she'd taken the emotion or not, and he couldn't smell it on her, so he didn't know whether to be weary around her or just to be natural, so he remained on guard.

When the trio arrived at club 21C, the velvet ropes were let up as March flashed his smile, and Natalia flashed hers and Hatter did a simple hat trick, and thus they went in to the red painted club, smiling the whole while. The club was a beautiful large room of red and black velvet walls and satin curtains. The left wall was covered completely by private booths with drawn silk curtains while the right side was an entire oak bar, the scrolling bar of the tea of the day scrolling over it. The center of the room was a wide lighted dance floor headed by a large DJ's mixing table. Towards the entrance were more, smaller table, and March was having none of that.

With a snap of his fingers he requested a private booth, in which Hatter was accustom to, but to Natalia the concept was completely new. March slid in first and then Hatter let Natalia slid next to him, taking the very edge, in case he got the nerve to ask her to dance. March ordered a strong cup of excitement while Hatter ordered a simple cup of joy. Natalia wanted everything, but refrained and asked for water. March smirked and Hatter didn't seem to notice.

"So," leaned over March after the drinks had come, "What do you think?"

"It's all so wonderful!" shouted Natalia, trying to hear her own voice over the music. Hatter mindlessly sipped his tea and just nodded along with the beat, trying to ignore the small talk that March was trying to make with a very overly excited Natalia. Hatter sighed and swirled his spoon in his cup.

"Hatter," Natalia said after finishing what sounded like a very dull, very drawn out conversation about March himself, "Would you like to dance?"

"Me?" he spluttered, unable to get the thought to be coherent in his mind, "Me?"

"Yes you!" she said, shoving him lightly, "Now let's go, this will be fun!"

Hatter scooted out and held his palm out for Natalia, who took it with a smile and then looked back at a very content March.

"March?" she asked, looking at him. He returned her gaze in a dreamy state, like his mind was far away.

"Oh, no, that's quite all right," he said with a wave of his hand, "You two go on and have fun," he muttered.

Natalie leaned back over the table and gave him a kiss on the cheek before whispering in his ear.

"You are the greatest, March."

And she dashed away, her hand stuck in Hatters, heading to the dance floor. Hatter smiled down at her and followed her, clutching his hat with the other hand as the music began to play on the dance floor, the pounding bass filled the air as Natalia began to dance. Hatter watched, waiting for the music to fill his veins as she danced in front of him. She was so carefree in her movements it was like she was the only one in the room in her mind. Hatter smiled at the thought of her complete freeness, it seemed to be a trait that came with her. Hatter too responded with dancing, letting the smell of tea and her pomegranate scent fill his nose as the joy tea filled his veins.

Back at the booth, March watched with boiling jealously. It was an emotion he had never experienced before, this envy, because he has always had everything he ever wanted. He wasn't envious of Hatter, no he could never be envious of his best friend, but rather of Natalia, because he couldn't, and by the looks of it, wouldn't have her. March was unsure of this feeling, but he did not like it. He was a cunning and devious man and he never in his life was unsure of himself.

But at this moment he was unsure if she'd ever be his.

But that was going to change soon, and oh yes he was going to make sure of it. Oh yes, he was going to be so sure.

***

**A/N Dun Dun Dun, oh know what's going to happen now? Hatter's fallen head over heels, March is envious of Natalia, and Natalia is going to cause trouble this next chapter. Oh yes, lots of trouble for Wonderland, and that will put March and Hatter to the test. Who will win? Or will they even still be friends? hmm.. But, until then, you could always review this lovely chapter and tell me you answers to the above questions :)**

**Sounds like a good idea? I think so.**

**Let's review shall we?**

**Review...now!**

**:)**


	4. Let the Flames Begin

**Let the Flames Begin**

Admit the crowds of people that streamed onto the dance floor, Hatter had he chance to dance with the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. And he wasn't just exsagerating, oh no, she really was quite a site to see. Amongst the very scantily dressed women of Wonderland, Hatter's eyes focused on the girl in a loose glittering gold dress and long white tights, covering all of her skin. Hatter's eyes were transfixed on the colors that bounced off her dress like a mirror from the lights, the way she moved and most of all the way she smelled.

Natalia smelled of pomegranates. She smelled like the sweet exotic fruit that made up the most expensive of all teas. Secretly he wondered is it was her natural scent, or if she smelled like this only because of her shampoo. But at that moment, he could care less as they danced, his mind clouding as he let loose, just like any other 20 year old man would do at a club.

March on the other hand, had plotted his own path in his head as he sat at the booth. He calculated the time they would be on the floor to the moment when Hatter would come back because he was tired, or thirsty, or simply because he was being polite. Hatter was that way, polite and innocent. March loved having Hatter as friend because he was different than Jack, he was different than the suits, and that fit him just fine. March liked his company, but when it came to something he wanted, he would have it, even if Hatter stood in his way.

He had ordered a cup of emotion tea. This emotion tea wasn't for him, oh no, and it wasn't for Hatter, that was for sure, but for Natalia. He had bought a large amount of Excitement and poured it in her teacup, just as the pair came back. Natalia was glowing, and Hatter looked simply escatic. For a mere moment, March felt almost guilty for what he had done. But when he watched Hatter politely touch her arm to help her sit, jealously bubbled within.

"Are you having fun?" March asked, flashing Natalia a smile.

"This is amazing!" she said happily, "Thank you so much for taking me here!"

She wrapped her arms around his neck and he smiled gratefully as he buried his face in her hair. He inhaled happily, the same scent that intoxicated Hatter now intoxicating March. Hatter could only look away.

"Here, I got this for you," March said, motioning to the small glass teacup in front of her. Natalia smiled.

"Thank you March!" she said, jumping up and giving him yet another kiss on the cheek. Hatter clenched his fists and looked out at a scantily clad woman on the dance floor. Natalia took it and drank it down, her pupils doubling in size in an instant.

"Well?" March said, "Do you like it?"

"Whoa," she whispered her eyes widening as she took in the place in a whole new perspective. Her mind clouded with nothing but the adrenaile that now was doubling through her veins. The song that was playing stopped abruptly, starting with a new one, this time, a smile spreading across her face.

"March," she said, pulling on his hand, "Let's dance!"

March smiled widely, knowing that it was setting in. Hatter stared at him, but said nothing, letting them out. Before they even reached the dance floor, Natalia had begun twisting and dancing to the beat. Hatter followed March onto the floor, suddenly realizing that he was no longer having a good time.

And then it got worse. Natalia began to dance, and March positioned himself behind her, dancing awfully close, and awfully scantily to the beat of the song. But Natalia was too hyped up on adrenaile to care about his closeness or the way his hands were running on her skin. To Hatter he couldn't bare it, but to March it was exactly what he wanted.

March had seen the way she looked at Hatter, and he was upset. For the longest time she had looked at him in almost the same way, and he loved it. But since she had met Hatter, she couldn't keep her eyes off him. This bothered March a bit, but March knew that she knew the practical descision. But what he didn't know was her in general. Would she make the practical choice and pick him, or would she pick Hatter? He was simply doing what he had too to keep himself in the game- surely Hatter knew that.

Well Hatter of course had known that, and he hadn't liked that one bit. He hadn't liked it all. Jealously like he's never felt before coursed through his veins, and he was sure that it could rival the power of an oysters jealously, if they could feel jealously at all. Hatter watched them dance, watched as March was completely content with his work, and watched as Natalia was completely oblivious to it all.

Hatter finally found the courage in him and yanked on March's arm. He was ripped away from Natalia, who looked at them only for a moment before dancing. Hatter led March back to the booth.

"I know you put something in her tea," Hatter accused March quickly.

"Why would I do that?" he said, neither confirming nor denying.

"I know you did, I don't know why. You and I both know she's a s stable as a box of rats."

"That's absurd, she's clearly as stable as you and I," March answered.

"Oh, Really?" Replied Hatter sarcastically, "Then tell me, why hasn't she every had emotion tea before? She told me herself she's never had any in her life."

"She hasn't?" March said quickly, his eyes widening. He of course, knew that.

"You mean you didn't know."

"Well," he began.

"You did."

"Yeah."

"And you gave it to her anyway," Hatter stated slowly.

"When you put it that way," March answered, "It sounds worse than it is."

"What if she's an oyster? Hmm, what-"

"She's not an oyster," March answered, "She's been in the scarabs light."

"Well she's obviously not a wonderlander," Hatter said.

"Well what is she?"

"That's a stupid question," Hatter answered, unable to answer it. March knew that.

"All right, well as you can see she's perfectly fi-"

"Do not say fine!" Hatter said, "Her eyes are twice their normal size! She's totally drunk off emotion tea!"

"Okay, well then," March answered stiffly, "Let's get her home, and well figure out what we can do with her then."

Hatter and March turned back to the dance floor, only to find that Natalia and her glittering dress had disappeared off the floor.

"Where'd she go?" Hatter asked slowly.

"The bathroom?" March guessed, raising an eyebrow. Hatter shrugged.

"She'll find us when she's done," March answered nonchalantly. Hatter agreed.

But Natalia had not wandered off to the bathroom, oh no. In fact, she was no longer in the club. She had wandered out the front door and into the city, the cool crisp air filling her lungs with a new form of excitement as she took in the grand place. There was so much she could do here, so many places she could go. As she wandered down the street she turned down an alley, a shining, glittering object catching her eye as she wandered down, deep into the blackness of the night. If there was one thing the wonderlanders couldn't handle it was things that went bump in the night. And now that Natalia was out in the city, freely, things were about to go bump.

Meanwhile, the baffled buffoons Hatter and March sat at the booth. When nearly an hour had passed, both men began to fret, about what happened to her.

"What if she fell in?" Hatter wondered. March scoffed.

"That's ridiculous," he answered.

"Maybe we should go see if she's in there," Hatter said, taking off his hat.

"She'll be out any second, Hatter, just relax."

"It's been over an hour, March," Hatter answered angrily, "What if she's gotten taken."

"Fine, we'll go look."

Well Hatter and March both walked to the bathroom, and looked at the door. They waited hestitantly, when a woman walked out dress in a purple club dress that showed her stomach. She stared at the lingering men.

"Excuse me," Hatter said politely, "Could you tell me if there is a woman in a gold dress and white tights in there?"

"Only me," she winked, smiling at him. Hatter gulped.

"Thank you," Drawled March, tugging on Hatter's arm. They briskly walked away from the door.

"Where is she?" Hatter asked. March drug him up to the bodyguard and quickly demanded if he'd seen Natalia, the Queens daughter, in a gold dress walk by.

The bodyguard, looking very nervous answered that he had seen her walk out nearly and hour and a half ago. This made both men's faces drain with color.

That meant, that somewhere out in Wonderland, Natalia Heart, the joker's daughter, was wandering around, completely unwatched.

**A/N **

**Oh boy, what's going to happen now? What happens when the joker's daughter wanders freely around a city on emotion tea? Oh dear, well who's going find out? You are!**

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	5. You've got Style

Out in the warm city's air, wandered a girl in a sparkling gold dress and white tights. Her long hair was swept back from her face and there was a malevolent grin spread across her plush lips. Natalia was out, free to roam the city, heading down an alleyway in the night by herself. She gazed down towards the ground, where the city had been built above as she walked across another plank of land, heading into the streetlights of the darkened city.

To her left there was the loud blaring of music and glitter that caught her eye and she turned look at the entrance to a large nightclub, the neon sign sparkling in her watery eyes. She smiled to herself and pushed aside the doors, entering the building with a grin that a Cheshire cat couldn't even mirror.

Meanwhile, Hatter and March were panicking, heading down the street in the opposite direction that she had turned so many moments before. Hatter twisted his hat in his hands as he glanced around, looking for any sign that Natalia had been there.

"How'd you say we know if she was there?" he asked March, watching the more handsome man shift his eyes about.

"Easy, "he replied, "She likes destroying things for no reason, look for anything that could be considered destroyed."

"Why does she do that?" Hatter asked, looking down yet another dark alley.

"I don't know," sighed March, "She's the Joker's daughter, what did you expect?"

Hatter rolled his eyes and sighed, sinking down the wall of a building.

"This is ridiculous, we'll never find her this way. We need help."

"And who do you suggest we call Hat? Hmm? My mother?"

"No," Hatter said defensively, "How about Jack?"

"Seriously?" March said, looking at Hatter, "That idiot?"

"I don't think he's an idiot," Hatter said.

"He's an idiot," March said, looking up to the dark sky.

"All right, what about Ace?"

"Ace?" March stopped, looking at him with fire in his eyes, "Ace couldn't track her even if she was standing right in front of him. No, I've got this."

"I doubt that," muttered Hatter, standing up to follow March.

"Just shut up and look," he hissed.

In the opposite corner of the city, Natalia was in the club she had wandered upon, shooting down shot after shot of emotion tea. Her eyes were huge as she poured another down her throat, the wonderlanders around her watching with impressed looks as she down another.

"Passion," she answered, licking her lips. The bartender nodded and smiled.

"Really? Is that the best you all can give me?" she said, "I'm already bored."

"Here," the bartender said, sliding her a shot of a blue liquid, "What's this?"

She looked at the swirling blue liquid before tipping her head back and drinking it down. Just then her eyes darkened mysteriously and she looked around the club. With one quick, speeding movement she tossed the shot glass across the room and it shattered against the wall. She laughed gleefully.

"You know," she said, grabbing the bartender's chin suddenly, "I've never really had emotion tea before. I'm not even sure I'm a wonderlander, to be honest. Oops, I guess that's the honesty coming out. Sill March, he actually thought I didn't know he slipped it in my drink back at the casino."

"Who are you?" the bartender asked, glaring at her. She smiled wickedly.

"Me? I'm chaos. I'm the feeling that your stomach can't settle, the butterflies in your heart, the feeling of being alone, the feeling of being together. I'm madness, I'm lonliness, I'm angst, I'm joy, I'm, well, I'm me."

With a gleeful laugh she released his chin and he stumbled backwards as she overturned the barstools in the club, creating a path of destruction as she headed for the door. One patron helped the bartender up to his feet.

"What did you give her?" he asked, looking at the bartender nervously. He shook his head.

"Madness."

March had enough. He had wandered all the way out to the city limits, and he could see the glittering lights of his home from this distance. Hatter had followed him, and now they sat on the edge of sidewalk, feet dangling over the side. Hatter's hat was next to him and his hands were in his hair.

"You're an idiot," he muttered to March.

"Shut it," he snapped, "I think I hear something."

"Probably your own mind trying to think," muttered Hatter, but sure enough he heard it too. It was a soft ringing, a soft ringing of-

"You're phone," Hatter muttered, and March pulled it out.

"Oh boy," he muttered, looking at the name on the screen. Queenie was calling.

"March," he answered, then winced.

"HOW DARE YOU SNEAK NATALIA OUT OF MY HOME! I SWEAR I'LL HAVE YOU HEAD IF ANYTHING ELSE HAPPENS TO HER!"

"Else?" March gulped.

"SHE'S COMPLETELY DRUNK OFF EMOTION TEA AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! YOU GET HER BACK HERE THIS INSTANT, DO YOU HEAR ME?"

"Yes, Ma'am,' he answered. He snapped shut the phone and his face went pale.

"So?" Hatter asked, looking at him. March just spoke ahead.

"Someone's made her drunk off the tea."

Somewhere in the back of Natalia's mind, she knew she had to find them. Hatter and March, that is, because she knew it probably wasn't safe for her to wander around like this in the city. But most of her was enjoying the feeling of running madly through the streets, knocking down people, tearing off signs and laughing merrily as she went. But what she really wanted was a chase. She wanted that adrenaile to course through her veins like fire. She wanted a competition she knew she could win.

And there, in that window was a perfect way to get that chase. In the window sat a beautiful ring, with green and blue stones in the gold band. It glittered up at her from the window, and the sudden feeling that she could have it came over her. With a carefully thrown punch, the glass shattered and she snatched the ring into her hand, placing it on her finger. The ring suddenly grew hot on her finger and the middle stone, which was black, glowed a red color. It captivated her for a few moments before loud angry shouts of patrolmen pulled her into reality. She smiled and closed her fist, taking off into the night with a laugh and a smile on her lips.

March heard the shouts much before he saw the chase. Hatter had heard them too, followed by the eerie laugh that only Natalia could have. Just as they ran around the corner, Natalia flew over their heads, jumping from building to building. Hatter was shocked, and March stopped his movements.

"How did she-"

"Go, go go!" March shouted, following Natalia as she leapt from building to building. March chased her around the corner with Hatter hot on his heels. March was quick at the run, and Hatter struggled to catch him. Natalia was only a few buildings ahead, and she was running out of ones to jump on.

And as they rounded the next corner, she was no longer above them, but barely three steps ahead of them. March ran swiftly and closed the distance between them nearly, as she ran just a step ahead of him. With a swift and perfectly place leap, he wrapped his arms around her waist and both went down. Natalia spun in his arms and looked him in the eyes, just as they went down. March rolled, making sure that he landed beneath her so she wouldn't get hurt. The dust rose up around them and then settled.

"Natalia," he breathed, his breath hitting her face. She smiled.

"Hello March," she said, smiling, "Thanks for taking the fall."

"You're in deep trouble you know," he growled, still clutching her to his body. By now the patrolmen had caught up to them and stood with Hatter, a few feet back.

"I know," she said, "But if I recall, so are you."

"Natalia," he growled angrily at her. She smiled and brushed back his hair.

"Did I tell you that you are incredibly handsome?" she said, her eyes glazing over. Puzzled by her actions, but not denying them, he smirked at her.

"Really now? Are you sure?"

She nodded and her eyes sparkled. She was, very, very drunk in his opinion, but who was he to stop her from speaking whatever she was feeling.

"I've always thought that," she murmured, smiling at him. Hatter wrung his fingers on his hat.

"Well then," March murmured. He bent up to he ear and whispered, "Prove it."

And that she did, placing a passionate kiss on his lips, on that was filled with all the emotions she had drunk that night. March could taste them all on her tongue, but didn't care then.

And Hatter was standing right there, watching the whole thing.


End file.
